SUBJECT: More than 300 cities join Seattle in fight against global warming

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
9/26/2006 4:30:00 PM

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Steve Nicholas (206) 615-0829

More than 300 cities join Seattle in fight against global warmingMilestone reflects growing demand for action to stem climate crisis

SEATTLE - Mayor Greg Nickels announced that as of today, 307 cities across
the country have now joined Seattle in pledging to significantly reduce greenhouse
gas emissions and help stem the growing threat of climate change.

The milestone comes as Nickels prepares to release the Seattle Climate Action
Plan on Wednesday, the most ambitious effort in the city’s history to
cut climate-disrupting emissions. The plan details the steps necessary to cut
680,000 metric tons of greenhouse gasses and bring Seattle in compliance with
the Kyoto Protocols.

The latest cities to formally join the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement
include Milwaukee, Chattanooga, Tenn., Fargo, N.D., and Pasadena Calif. Their
commitment means nearly 51 million Americans in 46 states and the District
of Columbia now live in communities that are taking action to address the climate-change
crisis.

“This is an effort where numbers matter,” Nickels said. “Everyday,
people across this country are waking up to the threat of global warming and
making a commitment to cut emissions at home, at work and in their communities.
Together we are making a difference for the future of our planet.”

“Seattle’s leadership on climate protection has moved people to
action in blue states and red states, big cities and small towns,’’ said
Mayor Dan Coody of Fayetteville, Ark. “Mayor Nickels and those of us
who have joined with him believe local leadership will both cut emissions and
move our federal government to take climate protection seriously.”

On Feb. 16, 2005, the day the Kyoto Protocol became law in 141 countries,
Nickels challenged his mayoral colleagues to commit each of their cities to
achieving the treaty’s target of bringing carbon emissions to 7 percent
below 1990 levels by 2012.

The Seattle Climate Action Plan is based on the recommendations of the mayor’s
Green Ribbon Commission. Co-chaired by Earth Day founder Denis Hayes and former
Starbucks Chairman and CEO Orin Smith, the group of business, labor, environmental
and government leaders outlined 18 broad recommendations, ranging improving
transit to boosting Seattle’s use of clean fuels, such as biodiesel.

For a complete list of cities participating in the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection
Agreement and for more information about the city of Seattle’s climate
change work, see www.seattle.gov/mayor/climate/.